When using pitchers to pour fluids, it is frequently desired to pour a stream of the fluid into a specific location, such as a glass or other container. Alternatively, it may be useful to use a container or a pitcher that does not provide an actual spout, but rather, simply has a rim when it is desired to pour a greater amount of fluid or broader stream of fluid onto an object such as when rinsing a floor or an automobile. However, both of these types of containers and pouring operations present specific drawbacks to particular applications. For example, when using a pitcher having a spout, the fluid that is poured from the pitcher can only be applied to a particular area, specifically, that area determined by the stream of fluid as it exits the spout. While this is useful for pouring water into a glass, another container or a specific area, it is not useful for applying the fluid to a larger area. Also, the use of a spout while narrowing the stream of water, nevertheless, provides a narrow column-like stream of water which, when it contacts the object or container toward which it is directed, will flow in all directions.
The other case of pouring a fluid from a container—that is the case of a bucket or other broad-rimmed container—also presents limitations with respect to the pouring of a fluid. In the case of a bucket or a pitcher having no spout, the water will flow from the pitcher over the rim or edge of the pitcher and create a broad stream of fluid flowing from the pitcher which will be related to the angle of the longitudinal axis of the pitcher as it moves from vertical to horizontal. To state the obvious, when the longitudinal axis of the pitcher (that is the axis passing through the bottom of the pitcher and the top of the pitcher) is parallel to vertical, no fluid will flow from the pitcher. As the longitudinal axis is tilted increasingly toward a horizontal plane, more and more fluid will flow over the rim of the pitcher, and the stream flowing from the pitcher will be increasingly wide. While such a spoutless pitcher, such as a bucket, provides a wide stream of fluid which is useful in, for example, rinsing an area, there is still no control over the distribution of that stream over the object on which it is poured. Specifically, if a stream of water is poured from a bucket, when the stream of water contacts the object on which it is poured, the water will flow in all directions and will not be limited to a single direction of flow. Even if the rim of the pitcher is pressed directly against the object onto which the fluid is to flow, the fluid will flow back toward the pitcher and underneath the pitcher and onto portions of the object which are near the side wall of the pitcher.
In the specific case of rinsing shampoo and other hair treatments from the head of a child, this “backflow” from a pitcher can provide compelling support for the Victorian premise that children should be seen and not heard. Specifically, the backflow of rinse water from a pitcher that is used to dip bath water and to lift it to rinse the head of a child can cause shampoo and other hair and scalp treatments to flow down the forehead of the child and into the eyes and face of the child. This will cause the child to notify the parent of the situation through loud screams, tears and arm movements. The prospect of rinsing soap suds into the eyes and mouth and nose of a child is not pleasant for either the parent or the child and can lead to difficulties as bath time approaches. Usually it is the case that the best of attempts to try to limit this problem are unsuccessful. Asking the child to close his or her eyes tightly while the rinsing is proceeding will be only partially successful. The child, for one reason or another, may open their eyes during the rinsing procedure whereupon the soapy water contacts and stings their eyes. Alternatively, the child may improperly time the closing of their eyes with the application of the rinse water and receive a stinging realization of their incapacity to coordinate their eyelid movements. Even should the parent attempt to assist the situation by placing a hand across the forehead of the child, some soapy water will inevitably trickle down the forehead of the child and into the child's eyes, mouth or nose.
Therefore, it would be a great benefit if a rinse container or pitcher could be provided which would prevent the flow of rinse water from a rinse pitcher or container and back underneath the rim of the container thereby providing specific, directional application of rinse water to an object such as a child's head.
Yet another benefit would be obtained from a pitcher or rinse container which could provide a broad flow of rinse water to an object to more efficiently rinse the object and while providing means for directing the flow of the rinse water from the pitcher and onto the object while preventing the backflow of rinse water onto areas of the object to which rinse water is not intended to be applied.
It would still be a further benefit if such a pitcher or rinsing container could conform to the shape of the object to which the rinse water in the pitcher was to be applied thereby restricting the portions of the object which will receive rinse water from those portions of the object which will not receive rinse water. These objects and benefits and more are provided by the present invention which is more completely described hereinafter.